1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to electrical connectors for joining two electrical components or conductors together.
2. Description of the Prior Art:
Electrical connectors are widely used to connect two discrete, separate circuits or electrical devices together in electrical contact to complete an electric circuit therebetween. In such connectors, the electrical conductors of one circuit or device terminate in or are joined to contacts which are fixedly mounted in a connector body. Mating contacts attached to the conductors of another circuit or device are likewise mounted in a connector body which is inserted into the mating connector body to join the contacts together in electrical connection.
Biasing devices are commonly employed to urge the mated contacts together in a secure connection. However, the requirement of secure electrical contact between mating electrical contacts is opposed to the requirement of a low insertion and/or removal force when joining or separating the two connector bodies.
Various arrangements have been devised to apply or increase the pressure between the mating contacts of joined connector bodies after the bodies are joined together. Typically, cams or slider members are movable after the connector bodies are joined together to activate springs or other biasing means to urge the contacts together and hold the contacts together in a secure connection. However, such biasing means operate independently or in parallel on each mating contact pair across the plurality of contacts in a typical electrical connector. Thus, due to misalignment of the contacts, wear or manufacturing tolerances, one or more of the contacts in one connector body may be out of proper mating position thereby resulting in a misfit or non mating joinder of the contacts. At the same time, such tolerance or misalignment causes varying contact pressure between mating contact pairs in the connector which may result in a unstable or non connection between certain contacts pairs. In a multi-contact connector, the misalignment of only one contact could prevent the operation of an entire circuit. Further, such misalignment of inoperability of one contact pair is difficult and time consuming to locate and repair.
Thus, it would be desirable to provide an electrical connector which provides a secure electrical contact between all mating contacts in a two-part, separable electrical connector. It would also be desirable to provide an electrical connector which provides high pressure contact between mating contacts along with a zero or minimal insertion or removal force when joining or separating the contact carrying connector bodies. It would also be desirable to provide an electrical connector having these features which may be constructed in any form or shape and with any number of electrical contacts. Finally, it would be desirable to provide an electrical connector which provides the same connecting force on all mating contact pairs in the connector.